See also

Pompeii

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When Pompeii first came under Roman rule just over 2,000 years ago, it was a town of great prosperity whose cultural life and urban development were in full blossom. It was soon to become a favourite resort of wealthy Romans, and its situation on the fertile ground of Campania made it an attractive location for Roman families to settle. In 79 AD, the life-blood of this booming town with a population of 25,000 was abruptly cut short by the sudden and terrible eruption of Mount Vesuvius. In the space of forty-two hours, Pompeii's streets, market-places, homes and shops were completely buried beneath a twenty-three foot layer of volcanic ash, seemingly never to be seen again. However, an accidental discovery led to excavation work, which began on the site in the eighteenth century. The rediscovery of an ancient world, caught and preserved at the moment of cataclysm, provoked huge interest. This illuminating archaeological guide captures Pompeii in more than 200 colour pictures, showing all the major buildings, streets and artwork in detailed and comprehensive form, to enable the reader to see the city as it appeared on that fatal day before it was buried under tons of molten lava.